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Administration | Main Office Staff | ||||||
| David Uminski, Principal | Gin Koski, Registrar | |||||||
| Greg Smith, Assistant Principal | Pegi Deshayes, Administrative Assistant | |||||||
| Brian Sargent, Dean of Students | Sharon Olson, Administrative Assistant | |||||||
PRINCIPALS' NEWS
STUDENT HANDBOOK
FOCUS
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SUCCESS STORIES
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CHECK OUT THE LIBRARY BLOG!
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SCHOOL COUNCIL
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MISSION STATEMENT
PARENT FEEDBACK We want to hear from you.
Mr. Uminski
Mr. Smith
SEMESTER II
PLEASE NO CASH |
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Donate Them! Oakmont Regional High School is now accepting book, video,
DVD, CD, and audio book donations. Drop off your contributions to
help raise money for the school’s Business Education Department and put
books in the hands of people who will treasure them as you once did!
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YEARBOOK
COLLEGE PLANNING NIGHT
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Calendar
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OAKMONT BOOSTER CLUB NEWS
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F.A.S. NEWS
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“JUMP INTO SPRING” ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
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Solar Panels for Oakmont? |
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by Gretchen Carlson, Alyssa
Christianson, Hannah Ulshen and Joanna Gustafson Oakmont Class of 2008
Our Plan |
“Green”
Schools in Massachusetts
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Cons
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Beyond Bandaids |
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| Winter Edition |
February 2008 |
Welcome to another publication of BEYOND BANDAIDS, the school health newsletter written by the Ashburnham-Westminster School Health Department. The purpose of the newsletter is to keep you informed about current topics in school health. Children learn best when they are as healthy as they can be.
The Ashburnham-Westminster School Health Program is still fortunate to be receiving grant funds from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health until June 2008. With this grant all of our district nurses are working within its frameworks…providing the daily care, maintaining health records according to the Massachusetts laws, developing new programs and participating in quality improvement programs, upgrading equipment and providing information such as this newsletter to our communities.
Last October I was honored to receive the Massachusetts School Nurse of the Year award representing our district…this was a recognition that I will always remember and treasure in my heart. But, I feel I represent all of the many school nurses who take care of our children. I know I speak for them when I say that school nursing is by far the most rewarding job I have ever had. To see a smile on a child’s face thanking me for taking care of them is the best gift ever.
In collaboration with our school physician, Dr. Lisa Rembetsy-Brown and the school nurses in our district (Susan Lofquist @ Oakmont Regional High School, Ann Lee Fredette @ Overlook Middle School, Krista Penning @ JR Briggs Elementary School, Sue Quigley-Belliveau @ Westminster Elementary School and Nancy Taylor, our part-time ESHS grant funded nurse), we look forward to providing you with an optimum school health program.
Marcia Sharkey, RN BSN
Nurse Leader
When to Keep a Child Home from School
By Marcia Sharkey, RN BS-Meetinghouse School
978.874.0163School nurses frequently get asked questions about when to keep their children home from school. With the cold and flu season upon us, we’d like to give you some guidelines that can help you make that tough morning call of whether or not send your child to school or keep him/her home.
Don’t keep a child home for:
- Sniffles, a runny nose and a mild cough without a fever. It could be a cold or an allergic response to something like seasonal changes.
- Vague complaints of aches, pains or fatigue.
- A single episode of diarrhea without any other symptoms. It could be a result of something in their diet.
Keep a child home for:
- Any physical or emotional condition that would prevent him/her from participating comfortably in class.
- A fever of 100 or more within the past 24 hours. Coupled with a rash, earache, sore throat, lethargy or nausea, fever may signal a highly contagious infection.
- A persistent, productive cough and wheezing coupled with a thick or constant nasal discharge.
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea during the previous night.
- An undiagnosed rash, especially when there’s a fever and behavioral change.
- Pinkeye in which there’s a white or yellow discharge, often with matted eyelids after sleep, eye pain and redness
- Strep throat/scarlet fever (may send back to school after being on the antibiotic for 24 hours)
- Head lice. Stay home until treated and nits are removed. When returning to school, need to be checked by the school nurse first. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics)
And always know that your school nurse is available by phone or email if you have any questions at all. No parent wants a child to miss school without a good reason. But sending a sick child to class can make a condition worse and put other children at risk. And remember the best healthy habit: Washing your hands!
Strep Throat
By Sue Quigley-Belliveau, RN BSN-WES
978.874.2043There have been a number of cases of Strep throat in our schools during the months of November and December, as well as new cases that have continued into January. Below is an overview of strep throat.
Definition: Strep throat is an infection caused by Group A streptococcus bacteria. It is characterized by the sudden onset of a red, painful throat, sometimes with fever, tender or swollen lymph nodes, headache, abdominal discomfort, nausea and/or vomiting.
Transmission: Strep throat can occur at any age but is most common in school age children. Group A streptococci are transmitted person-to-person through respiratory secretions.
Diagnosis is made with a throat culture. Rapid tests are very accurate if positive but can give false negatives so will often be double-checked with a conventional culture, which takes 48 hours to complete.
Treatment is an oral antibiotic for approximately 10 days. Your child may return to school after treatment for at least 24 hours and when they are fever-free without Tylenol/Motrin for 24 hours. It is extremely important to complete the full course of antibiotics as directed.
Preventative: To help stop the spread of this infection, good hand washing is extremely important especially after blowing noses and before eating. Old toothbrushes should be thrown out and replaced 24 hours after treatment has started. Dishes and utensils must be washed well in soap and hot water or in a dishwasher. No food or drinks should be shared by other children or family members.
Asthma in Children
Krista Penning, RN BSN-JR Briggs Elementary
978.827.5750
Asthma is an ongoing condition that interferes with your child’s breathing. Children with asthma almost always have some amount of inflammation in their lungs even if there are no symptoms. As a result, their lungs tend to be especially sensitive and easily irritated. Their lungs tend to get irritated by something called a “trigger”. A trigger could be anything; one or many things. Some examples of a “trigger” are: dust, the smell of a perfume, the quality of air that they are breathing, a cold day, a warm day and many more. Some “triggers” occur after running or exercise. When the lungs are irritated by a “trigger”, the lining of a child’s airway swells up and mucus clogs the airway. This blocks the flow of oxygen to their lungs and makes it hard for asthmatic children to breathe. At the same time, the muscles around their airways constrict and grow tighter. When this happens, their breathing passages narrow; this also makes it hard to breathe and creates a variety of asthma symptoms, such as: wheezing, cough, and shortness of breath. These are just a few examples. Asthma is one of the most common long-term conditions among kids today. There are about 9 million children in the United States under the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with asthma. Approximately 80% of children with asthma will develop symptoms before the age of five. Anyone can get asthma; however, children with a family history tend to have a greater chance of getting it. Approximately 40% of children who have asthmatic parents will develop asthma. As a parent of a child with asthma, you can help your child better, by learning how to recognize asthma symptoms in your child and which triggers may provoke an attack. It is also important to understand your treatment options and which asthma medications may be the right options for your child. The more you know about asthma, the better you can manage your child’s condition.
If you have a child with asthma and are not sure of your options of treatment you might want to discuss Rescue and Controller Preventative Medicines with your child’s doctor. Rescue medicine is most often prescribed for short-term use for acute asthma symptoms and attacks. These medications provide quick relief from sudden symptoms and are not intended to provide long-term control of asthma. Controller medicine on the other hand, is used as a preventative medicine, which with regular use, helps to prevent symptoms and attacks. It is important to use as prescribed even if symptoms are mild or seem to be gone. This medication prevents symptoms and attacks on an ongoing basis. It is not intended to provide quick relief from sudden symptoms. If your child has asthma, just remember that you are not alone. There are many outside resources available to you and your child. You can Google Asthma in children, and/or speak with your child’s pediatrician. Or visit these websites:
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Childhood Asthma
American Lung Association Asthma & Children
Health Office Screenings and BMI
Nancy Taylor RN, BSN-ESHS Grant NurseDuring the fall months, all students in all grades were screened by the health office for height, weight, vision and hearing as required by the state. If a physical was done during the school year and the health office has a form on record then that information may have been used. Referrals for students who failed either the hearing or vision screenings will be sent home during January and February. If you receive a referral form, please remember to send the referral form back to school after your child’s appointment for our records.
BMI information will also be sent out in the next few weeks for grades 1, 4, 7 and 9. Again, this information is collected and reported to parents according to state requirements. Body mass index is defined as the individual’s body weight divided by the square of their height. For children it is then compared to typical values for other children of the same sex and age. A BMI that is less than the 5th percentile is considered underweight and above the 95th percentile is considered overweight. Children with a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile are considered to be at risk of becoming overweight.
Public Health Concerns
(Type 2 diabetes not just for adults)
Ann Lee Fredette, RN-Overlook Middle School
978.827.1425Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents. Most of us have
heard of Type 1 or juvenile onset diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes was typically diagnosed in older adults.But with trends moving towards heavier, more obese and inactive teens, Type 2 Diabetes is becoming more common in teens and young adults. Their bodies are less able to produce proper amounts of insulin to regulate the excess sugar in the bloodstream. Unfortunately Type 2 Diabetes can go undiagnosed for a long time. However, a diagnosis of diabetes can be quite overwhelming. Signs and symptoms of this illness are increased hunger and thirst, fatigue, frequent urination, weight loss, irritability, and sores that heal slowly.
Type 2 Diabetes is not as life threatening as Type 1 at the time of diagnosis, but it does increase the likelihood that children may develop long term complications, such as kidney disease, and blindness.
The teen years are times of testing limits, and feelings of invulnerability. Being in denial about a serious disease can prove disastrous. Therefore, if your child does not comply with treatment, try a support group, or a summer program, like the Joslin camp. Try not to define their identity as being “a diabetic,” and do not let it define your relationship with them. Stay involved and do your best not to micromanage them. Support and encouragement are necessary to help your child successfully make adjustments to dealing with life long illness.
Additional resources can be obtained from the American Diabetes Association, Web MD or the Joslin Clinic.
Are you in the Dark about Your Teen’s Sleep Needs?
Susan M. Lofquist, RN BSN Oakmont RHS
978.827.5907Tired teens sleepwalking through the school day! It’s a problem that I encounter on a daily basis here at Oakmont High School. The reasons for lack of sleep vary, but the consequences are usually the same:
decreased cognitive function leading to poor performance in class, mood changes and impaired driving skills. Do you know how much sleep your teen’s body needs for optimal physical and emotional health? According to data released by the National Sleep foundation (NSF) in 2006, just 20% of teens receive the recommended 9 hours of sleep per night. Nearly one-half of students ages 11-17 surveyed received less than 8 hours of sleep on school nights. As a result, 28% of high school students report falling asleep at least once per week during class, and 14% report arriving late or missing school due to lack of sleep.
The consequences of a lack of sufficient sleep affect all areas of functioning in the adolescent. Studies have shown that insufficient sleep is likely to cause depression, poor grades and impairment while driving. In fact, the NSF study shows that 51% of teen drivers report having driven while drowsy within the prior year. To combat this fatigue, ¾ teens report drinking caffeinated beverages to stay awake during the day. Unfortunately, the use of caffeine can affect the quality of sleep as well, and feed into the cycle of sleeplessness.
Interestingly enough, while most teens surveyed knew that they were not getting enough sleep, 90% of parents polled believe that their teen is getting enough sleep most nights!
Solving the teen sleep problem is not an easy task, for both biological and societal reasons. Teens experience a shift in their sleep cycles to later hours due to changes in melatonin levels after puberty begins. This makes an early bedtime biologically nearly impossible. This, combined with early school starting times, stacks the deck against parents trying to ensure that their child gets enough sleep. However, there are a few measures that can be taken. A parent can remove the television and computer from the teens’ bedroom, to encourage the use of the bedroom only for sleep. Parents can also remind their teen to limit caffeine intake after 12 noon, and encourage a regular schedule even during the weekends. I wish all Oakmont parents best of luck with these recommendations!
For further information on sleep needs of teens, please contact the National Sleep Foundation.
Source: Mary A. Carskadon, PhD (Chair); Sleep in America Poll; National Sleep Foundation: 2006.
Looking for a club or community service opportunity?
The Ashburnham and Westminster Lions Clubs are interested in starting a Leo Club at Oakmont Regional High School. The Leo Club is a student service organization advised by and affiliated with the local Lion’s Clubs.
Experience
Opportunity
If your son or daughter may be interested in joining the club or for more information
please contact Mr. Uminski.
